Xenosaga Episode III Cultural Database
Android
Androids refer to humanoid robots or artificial humans. There were many references to them in science fiction novels during the times of Lost Jerusalem.
KOS-MOS, developed by Vector Industries, is an anti-Gnosis weapon in the form of a female, and exemplifies an android.
There are some who believe that an android like KOS-MOS is anachronistic in a time when Realians are the norm.
Although the technology to develop KOS-MOS is ancient, her specs far surpass those of Realians and both could be considered androids since they are both artificial.
Überhumans
Humans who had artificial modifications made to their bodies and brains during the heyday of the Life Recycling Law, giving them certain types of special abilities, as are the offspring of these individuals, are called mutants. Andrew, Shelley, and Mary are a few mutants. Their outward appearance does not differ from that of humans in any way.
At present, discrimination against mutants is strictly prohibited by Federation law. In reality, however, discrimination and prejudice is still rampant in all corners of the galaxy.
The Kukai Foundation protects victims of the Life Recycling Law and provides them with a place to live.
Imaginary Pocket
While not quite literally an “imaginary pocket,” this term is used here to refer to the space-time cleft between imaginary space and real space.
It is the location where the Elsa was trapped along with Rennes-le-Château when they were caught up in a space-time transfer. The pocket gradually grows smaller, eventually being converted to imaginary space that is immune to interference from real space.
Interconnection
This is the technology used to dive into KOS-MOS’s main frame and refers to the establishment of a non-local connection by a mutual
interaction.This method frees data transference from the limitations of physics, and allows an instantaneous exchange of data across distances millions of light-years apart. Theoretically, the exchange will occur without any lag in time.
Interlink
An implanted control device that allows two individuals to communicate. The data sent and received is base on memory, but both the superficial and deep psyche may have an effect.
It is also possible to connect a computer to the implanted jack and store that data as short term memory and send it to another individual by the interlink. This allows data that are difficult to carryout to be shared as transferred memories.
It is important to keep in mind that an interlink connects memories and since memories are relatively easy to change, it is difficult to share long-term memories with accurate information.
Also, the Species Preservation Act makes it illegal to implant devices and jacks into human beings. Shelley and Mary are connected by interlinks, but they are victims of the Life Recycling Act.
Carnegie Structure Law
Basic theory that systemized the method to construct a virtual space with the U.M.N. Conceived by the mathematician Carnegie who was the head of Vector Industries Administration and Operations at the beginning of 4400 T.C.
After its formulation, all virtual spaces were constructed base on this structure law except under special cases. Many believe that this theory advanced the research on virtual space by a century. The structure law was named after Carnegie to honor his achievement.
However, details on how he reached this theory were never disclosed. There are rumors that the theory was completed with help from the leaders{Wilhelm} of Vector, but the truth is shrouded in mysteries.
Camelle
Camelle is a term used for those who work for the Galaxy Federation Government, the military, and corporations such as Vector Industries and the Kukai Foundation.
Camelles work various jobs and many of the main players in the story, including Shion, are Camelles. They are able to receive incentives and qualifications base on the number of years they have contributed to society. These incentives vary from retirement packages, pensions, and right to genetic transformations.
Allen’s plan was to retire after working eleven years as a Camelle and buy a lodge in some isolated area and fish everyday for the rest of his life.
Curry
The four basic curry spices are cumin, coriander, turmeric, and red pepper. One can create a truly delicious curry dish by adding garam mascala—a blend of cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves.
Shion’s single-minded passion for curry is unique. At one time, it seems that she preferred to choose only the most essential spices from the plethora available to create her own blend, as well as to sauté the onion and garlic well during preparation. These techniques find their roots from the curry at the Moby Dick’s Café, which Shion frequented in her high school days.
Even out of Shion’s many original recipes, her mellow, English-style curry, with fruit added as a secret ingredient, was once her crowning achievement. But Jin liked his curry spicy and could hardly bear his sister’s creation. It’s said the two argued incessantly whenever curry appeared on the dinner table at home.
Curry Gruel
An easy-to-eat{easy-to-make?} meal prepared by a concerned Allen for Shion when she fell ill.
This rice gruel uses Shion’s homemade curry as its soup base and has been prepared with plenty of Allen’s tender affection, but its flavor cannot be guaranteed.
Klein Point
The contact point between imaginary space and real space. Gnosis appearances and attacks take place from these points.
Its estimated location can be confirmed using D.S.S.S.; before the development of the Hilbert Effect, this was the only part of a Gnosis that could be attacked.
In the story, {Juli fired KOS-MOS’s} phase transfer cannon into this contact point and caused a crack to open into imaginary space in an attempt to rescue the Elsa.
Cage Partition
Various data are stored in the main database of cybernetic media in androids such as KOS-MOS and the artificial pseudo brains of Realians that define their existence.
Cage partition refers to the storage space where such data reside.
Gate Out
Refers to the process of ships and other vehicles moving out of hyperspace to normal space by using the U.M.N. The process is usually possible only within the valid range of the U.M.N. Transfer Column.
Gate Jump
Refers to the process of ships and other vehicles moving into hyperspace from normal space by using the U.M.N. The process is usually possible only within the valid range of the U.M.N. Transfer Column. Gnosis and the E.S. Dinah are able to interact with hyperspace outside the valid range of the column.
Species Preservation Act
With the passage of the Life Recycling Law, people pursued their ideals and desires. They came to ignore the basic nature of genes: to add diversity in the various species.
A group consisting only of a species that have adapted to only one environment is a group with the same inherent weakness. Hence they are in danger of extinction from even the smallest changes in their environment.
The Species Preservation Act was established to counteract the effects of the Life Recycling Law. It was used to revitalize and correct the tracks of the human race, who had become too vulnerable biologically.
The goal of the act is to reexamine the transmission of genes base on the laws of nature, and to fix the genetic flaws caused by life recycling.
Currently, the Galaxy Species Preservation Act Support Foundation G.P.S., is headquartered in the Kukai Foundation. They work to abolish genetic transformation and cloning, which are still prevalent among the upper classes and support victims of the Life Recycling Law.
Trade Column
There are various types of columns (entrances and exits to hyperspace), depending on their usage. Trade columns are mostly used by cargo and passenger vessels.
It has high flow of traffic and was the main reason Ziggy selected to navigate through this column when he was escorting MOMO so that he could lose the tracking system from enemy transports.
Connection Gear
A PDA that is also used for communications.
It is a mobile unit regularly used by Shion. When activated, a holographic monitor and keyboard appear. Its capabilities can be further expanded via downloads of various plug-ins.
Though it is an excellent machine, it is not wide-spread among the public because of its cost, usage of the military’s dedicated line, and the fact that its functions far surpass general needs. U.N.P. is more commonly used.
Commercial Model
Firearms can be divided into three main categories: commercial models, law enforcement models, and those developed for the militaries. Although all three specs are relatively similar, the commercial model is targeted for general consumers and allows disabling of the full auto switch and has a limited number of rounds in the cartridge.
One of the operators in the story suspected that Vector intended to create deployment experiments of the android KOS-MOS in the military and use them as advertising for a commercial model.
Recycler
Refers to individuals who collect vessels shipwrecked in space (whether due to accidents or Gnosis attacks) and illegally dumped objects, and who make a living selling them to brokers, either as is or after making some repairs.
The law varies according to each autonomous state, but this activity is basically illegal and carries penalties such as one year of hard labor and a maximum fine of 300,000G. {That’s NOT very much, is it? Not for XS3, anyways… XS1&2, that’d be a lot, though.}
The reclamation and black-market sale of military goods in particular is prohibited by Federation law, and the penalties for doing so are far greater than those set by any autonomous state. However, Matthews has a side job as a recycler in an attempt to pay off his debts.
Still, as such activity does violate the law and being involved in a crime would harm the reputation of the Foundation, Gaignun has warned Matthews and his crew to abandon the recycler life.
Cybernetic Engineering
A generic term for engineering technology that integrates the human body and mechanical engineering.
Synonymous with cyborg technology.
{I think this is the shortest entry. :3 }
Cyborg
An obsolete technology, once popular in the age of the Life Recycling Law. Bodies of donors were revived and retained as weapons on the Galaxy Federation Government as Cyborgs. Ziggy was one such human who, as a registered donor, was revived and turned to a battle Cyborg after his death.
Donors who were affiliated with special forces or the military were assigned to similar duties after their revival, but donors without such background were at times assigned to harsh manual labor or dangerous terraforming activities. Some were even assigned as housekeepers. {I want one. Ziggy in a maid outfit. Heck yeah.} Many cyborgs were superior to humans in abilities, but were stripped of their rights and placed in a very low social position.
Because of these issues, the number of aspiring cyborg donors gradually decreased, and the Galaxy Federation adopted a negative stance toward cyborg donation. Presently, the Life Recycling Law has become obsolete with the introduction of Realians, which are far superior to Cyborgs in performance.
Note that individuals who have undergone a cyborg operation to repair and enhance flesh-and-blood bodies after damage received from accidents or some functional failure are not the same as donated cyborgs.
Salvator
The children of the Messiah—Designer Children. Like Jr. and Dmitri Yuriev, these are humans who underwent genetic modification during their developmental phase. Ongoing research and development is part of a measure to prevent the Immigrant Fleet from using a part of the Zohar’s abilities.
The Life Recycling Law passed in T.C. 4591 is said to have been a shield allowing for the birth of more Salvators. The Yuriev Institute has been controlling research efforts.
Geocrystal
A naturally occurring crystalline mineral that was abundant in Lost Jerusalem.{?} Although its clear and colorless, it emits a glow of rainbow colors.
Even a small amount of the substance, if in its purest form, can be sold for a small fortune—more than enough to repay all of Matthews’s debts.
Geodesic Structure
Geodesic construction was invented by American architect Buckminster Fuller. It is a method of building domes wherein regular icosahedrons approximating spheres are overlaid with a network of many equilateral triangles. {Wh…what?!}
To visually represent the basic makeup of the super-structure U.M.N., it is often referred to as a geodesic dome—hence the term.
Auto-Mode
Refers to a mode wherein the unit operates autonomously.
Because KOS-MOS is currently running in Auto-Mode, she uses her own judgment to process and act upon the various data entering the mainframe’s sensors.
Ever since the incident when the Archetype went out of control, Auto-Mode was supposed to have been sealed.
However, when the cruiser Woglinde was attacked by the Gnosis, KOS-MOS began to run in Auto-Mode without the startup code, rescuing the imperiled Shion.
Seraphim Sisters
Consisting of Julia and Chloe, both from Keltia, this vocal duo was all the rage after scoring a sensational galaxy-wide hit in T.C. 4766 with their debut single, “A Curse of Love.”
Their gratuitously high-tension vocals, voluptuous and energetic dancing, and extreme, scandalous private lives have captivated men everywhere.
Using a U.M.N. Channel to attend a Seraphim Sisters concern is a sacrilege amongst their most devoted fans. Captain Matthews, one of their zealous devotees, claims the experience has no meaning unless you step into the concert hall, burn the singing and dancing duo onto your retinas, and feel the concert’s very presence with your own skin.
Safe House
Safe houses are rooms or buildings for resistance-type groups to lay low, keep watch, and bide their time.
In emergencies, they can serve as evacuation shelters. It is for this reason that they are equipped with a variety of goods suitable for a number of developing tactics or situations.
Apart from weapons and food supplies, the V.C.V. Safe house Is fitted with a machine with specs surpassing those of similar devices used by the Federation government. The resistance is now stepping up its anti-U.M.N. activities, including hacking into the Galaxy Federation and Vector’s classified domains in order to wreak havoc on the U.M.N.
Naturally, such acts are performed behind closed doors, and members are always warned to keep the safe house’s location highly confidential.
Postwar Reparations
A compensation system established after the Miltian Conflict that occurred 15 years ago. After the conflict, autonomous states and regions of space that had been heavily damaged, including Second Miltia, were given various vested interests and special extralegal rights.
Thanks to this post-conflict compensation, Second Miltia was able to join forces with the Kukai Foundation and earned the right to retain the Zohar Emulators.
However, many regions fell outside the scope of this plan, and rifts have been formed between regions of space and autonomous states over the issue of compensation. Despite the creation of a compensation system, it seems there are still many wounds from the war that have yet to fully heal.
Level 7 Personality Reconditioning
A treatment given to individuals who have committed a crime as a result of personality irregularities. Nanomachines are implanted into the patient’s brain, regulating their thoughts and actions.
The treatment has nine levels which run gamut from comparatively light control of the brain’s neurotransmitter secretions, to complete personality loss, achieved by overwriting data in the cerebral neocortex, and followed by the creation of an entirely new personality within the brain.
Rarely, some people’s personalities cannot be corrected. In those cases, the subject will undergo increasingly powerful treatments until personality correction can be verified.
Andrew, a Life Recycling variant, underwent Level 7 and 8 personality reconditioning, but neither was effective. His destructive actions toward anyone who dared oppose him grew steadily worse.
Occasionally, a sort of mark appears on his forehead; this phenomenon occurs when the implanted machines become activated. In other words, it is a sign that the nanomachines are working vigorously within Andrew’s brain in an attempt to keep his destructive behavior in check.
In the story, the reconditioning facility staff recommends Andrew for Level 9 treatment, indicating that the commander is a very rare case indeed. {Spoiler! It doesn’t work.}
Central Computer Pieta
The name of the motherframe installed in the Durandal. Jr. has affectionately nicknamed it “Momma”.
“Pieta” refers to any artwork depicting the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Christ.
Central Nervous System Disorder
An affliction where the circuitry that perceives the outside world and demonstrates one’s inner feelings is fragmented, making one unable to express emotions or speak.
Thanks to the prevalence of the U.M.N., memories are now able to be shared as data; by overreacting to the emotions and memories recorded there, one loses the ability to express one’s own feelings.
Sakura suffered from this disease since birth, but it has also been known to develop spontaneously following excessive U.M.N. access. {Basically, extreme desensitization.}
It is certainly no exaggeration to say that the true consciousness of the victims of this disorder are floating through the cleft between the real world and imaginary space, that is, within the U.M.N.
Ultra Wide Range Hilbert
KOS-MOS has an effective radius of about 300,000 kilometers{~186,411 miles} within which she can use the Hilbert Effect. She can also deploy it over a super-wide area, should the situation call for it.
Normally, even when using a system with an amplifier, the area maxes out at only a 100 kilometer{~62 miles} radius; KOS-MOS, however, can far surpass that limit, unleashing the Hilbert Effect over a radius of several hundred astronomical units. {1 astronomical unit = 149,598,000 kilometers or ~92,955,888 miles.}
Maintenance Box
A containment device that carries out maintenance on androids, Realians, and cyborgs, as well as performs operational checks when they fail to start up.
Service modules with nanotherapy functions can be used by humans as well as cyborgs, and are useful for treating all sorts of maladies and injuries
KOS-MOS’s exclusive service model is elongated and painted black. It features a restraint (called a “binding”) along with movement capability. “Iron Maiden KOS-MOS” is engraved on its hatch.
Transfer Wave
The U-TIC Organization’s autonomous fighter units, Auto-Techs, can gate jump independently, and their rear containers hold approximately 10 compact battle terminals.
By emitting a signal to designate transfer coordinates at the target location, the Auto-Tech unit can, within a limited area, rapidly transfer battle terminals one after another.
Transfer System
Transport technology that uses gate-jump technology with the U.M.N. To transfer goods to remote locations.
Because KOS-MOS’s weapons system includes this capability, she doesn’t need to lug around oversized weapons—they can simply be transported from the storage facility as needed.
However, only goods with static data can be directly transferred. Theoretically, life forms with fluctuating data can be transferred directly, but it is more or less impossible given the major mental and physical difficulties that can arise.
To transfer living things, one must use a spaceship equipped with the appropriate system.
Transgenic Type
A next-generation Realian model researched and developed by Joachim Mizrahi, featuring an even more human-like structure.
First came Febronia; then Cecilia, Catherine, and Almadel{Who?}, who were built from Febronia’s test data. Research and development of battle models took place, as well. Joachim Mizrahi also used transgenic-type data when working to create the 100-Series Observational Unit.
Public records indicate that all experimental data was lost during the Miltian Conflict.
NATARAJA
Formally known as NATARAJA, this connection system was designed by Kevin and implements a direct approach.
In the story, when Shion uses a direct approach for KOS-MOS’s mainframe, this system is booted up.
“Nataraja” is another name for Shiva, one of Hinduism’s chief deities. While worshiped as the lord of dancing, he is also a fearsome god of destruction and creation. It is unclear why Kevin bestowed this system with one of Shiva’ names.
Neural Monitoring
Before a connection can be made with certain areas accessed via the U.M.N., a user’s psyche must be synchronized with the area.
An operator can make a connection if the monitored user’s mental wavelengths are synchronized with the desired area. If the wavelengths are not synchronized, then the operator can send sympathetic wavelengths to the user in an attempt to synchronize them.
Nexus 6
Ziggy, formerly known as Jan Sauer, sent this synthetic dog to his son Joaquin soon after becoming his new father.
Nexus is the name of the company that manufactures synthetic animals, and the dog’s serial number is D-PA1278094 NEXUS v.06.
At the time, purebred dogs were prohibitively expensive and could not be easily purchased, so synthetic versions were more commonplace.
It seems Ziggy named the dog “Nexus 6” after its model number, but since that sounds like a robot name, Joaquin shortened it to Nex.
Heat Death
Describes the death of the universe, as drawn from the Second Law of Thermodynamics and its assertion that as entropy increases, the quantity of heat reaches zero, and all matter becomes nothing.
In the story, Helmer used this concept to express the idea that, if humans ceased living as human beings, all that would await them would be the death of the universe, in which everything becomes nothing.
Hyperspace
Spaceships pass through hyperspace, which resembles a glittering tube in shape and aspect, when performing a gate jump.
If matter touches the boundaries of hyperspace (i.e. the tube’s inner walls), a gigantic quantity of heat will be released, and the matter will disintegrate into subatomic particles. As radioactivity is also abundantly present, it is dangerous to perform research and analysis within hyperspace itself, and many mysteries are still left unsolved.
Paradigm Contamination
A paradigm is the dominating rule governing how things are viewed and perceived in a given age and field. When a paradigm changes discontinuously, it is called a “paradigm shift”.
In the story, the term is used to refer to the desperate circumstance when a computer’s mainframe or OS has been hacked or otherwise invaded.
100-Series Observational Unit
Anti-Gnosis observational Realians equipped with the 100-Series system, which combines D.S.S.S. And the Hilbert Effect.
They are young-looking Realians designed by the late Professor Joachim Mizrahi and base on the MOMO prototype. They were mass-produced by the Contact Subcommittee, a governmental institution of the Galaxy Federation.
In the process of developing his MOMO prototype, Professor Mizrahi manufactured a large number of data-collection test beds called Kirschwasser{Test beds? Test models?}. MOMO was 100th model produced.
At present, the 100-Series system required several dozen tons of system capacity; theory holds that it cannot be miniaturized to human dimensions. The 100-Series System, as used by the Galaxy Federation Army, consists of the Main Unit (a mainframe-like device measuring 10 cubic meters) and a production model 100-Series Realian used as a personal device.
Because the 100-Series system has similar spec to those which KOS-MOS has been equipped, it is possible there is some sort of connection between them.
As part of the late Professor Joachim Mizrahi’s design concept, 100-Series Observational Units resemble young children completely. It is said that, when the Contact Subcommittee took over development after Joachim’s death, they carried over the external features to ensure that all of the systems were working properly. Since it was impossible to reconstruct the systems that had been tuned for youthful bodies, it is more likely that they simply went mass production as is.
100-Series Realian
A 100-Series Observational Realian developed for anti-Gnosis purposes.
See the entry on 100-Series Observational Units.
Hilbert Effect
A limited perception field generation system developed as a method of reaching out from real space to interact with the Gnosis, which exist in imaginary space.
It makes interaction by real-world humans possible bey translating imaginary-space pulsations into a “common language” and intentionally expanding the accessible area of imaginary space (normally Planck scale-sized). This also allows the use of everyday weapons against the Gnosis, who ignore the laws of physics.
Usually, KOS-MOS can create a field of about 300,000 kilometers, but when using all her power, that field can expand to several million astronomical units. MOMO and 100-Series Observational Units can create a field with a range of up to 100 kilometers using a special large-scale amplifier; without this device, however, they are limited to only a few hundred meters.
{See Ultra Wide Range Hilbert.}
Primer Walking
Detecting and capturing the remaining traces of energy being transmitted by the Zohar, thus extrapolating its position.
Generally used to mean utilizing sequence information taken from DNA and analyzing the downstream sequences to determine the entire base sequence.
Procurator
Describes an A.I. That serves to extract user-requested data from the immense information network known as the U.M.N.
Data is managed by various A.I.s within the U.M.N., and procurators access these A.I.s on the user’s behalf. This allows the user to efficiently retrieve the information he or she is seeking.
Procurators primarily take voice commands; keyboard commands are required when more precise settings are called for.
Compact procurators also run on connection gears and other mobile devices. Shion uses Bunnie, a procurator she made herself.
Proprietary {XL forgot the Subtitle: “Technology and information monopolized by a certain company.” }
Refers to technology and information monopolized by a certain company. In the story, data concerning T-elos’s development is under the jurisdiction of the Federation Army; as it was all monopolized by Roth Mantel, even Vector’s Development Division was unable to gain inside access.
Holographic Network
The neural network that makes it possible to view data recorded within Realians and androids as a video in the real world.
The analysis of the Y-Data MOMO kept hidden passed through this network.
Holography is based on the same fundamental principle as the brain’s memory mechanism, hence the name.
Holographic Mail Terminal
A device that permits the sending and receiving of three-dimensional holograms over a network.
The terminal’s role is to take in the subject’s information and voice from the sender’s side, then send it to a central computer.
The central computer converts the terminal’s data into video and audio, then passes it on to the recipient’s computer.
The terminal’s function is simply to send data and to pass along the fact that the central computer has received the data; data receipt and access occur at the central computer itself.
University of Bormeo
One of the top educational institutions in the Galaxy Federation, the University of Bormeo has along history, being, as it is, the first university constructed by humans in space. Despite this, its academic level and facilities are the most modern around; many aspire to attend, but it is extremely difficult to make the rolls.
It has departments in both the humanities and the sciences, but about 70 percent of its curriculum lies in the departments of science and engineering, which are further divided into even more specialties. Chief disciplines include material application engineering, planetary science, mechanical systems engineering, and so on.
With its Gothic architecture, one would never expect this university to be at the center of science and engineering.
Many Vector employees are University of Bormeo graduates, including Allen and Kevin. The Professor at the helm of the Robot Academy on the Kukai Foundation, his friend the Other Professor, and the Professor’s rival the Dark Professor also graduated from this institution.
Mass Driver
A launch system that uses magnetism to accelerate high-mass objects, instead of relying on propellants.
Most often used for turning out large spaceships and transporting supplies to satellite orbits for use in the construction of orbital elevators and space colonies.
In the story, a lone boy{Kevin} uses a Mass Driver, at the spaceport on planet Michtam, to escape.
Miltian Charter
A charter established by the Federation government to prevent incidents like the Miltian Conflict, which broke out 15 years ago, from ever recurring.
Of note in the Miltian Charter is Article Four, which speaks to the social standing of Realians, and was enacted because of the outbreak of Realian violence during the Miltian Conflict.
Because of this outbreak of Realian violence, the number of human victims declined. The Federation government declared, “Realians also feel stress, which gave rise to the outbreak of violence,” thus stipulating “human” rights to Realians.
However, even though their basic rights had been affirmed, Vector, the Realians’ manufacturer, did not remove their control devices, which contain a self-destruct code. The Charter can therefore also be viewed as written permission to use said devices. {Paragraph 13 is what gave Virgil the right to use the Override Code on the Woglinde.}
Artificial Personality Layer
A human-like personality created to allow humanoid Realians and androids to communicate smoothly with humans. Since simulated personalities are based on the whole spectrum of emotions experienced by real humans, they are installed to match their host’s appearance and function—whether it be a young female Realian or a medical-use android.
By using both artificial personalities and artificial intelligence, they can be give more human-like thoughts and emotions, but, normally, one or the other is suppressed, and the Realian or android is calibrated to be convenient to its user.
UNP
UNP stands for “Unus Mundus Network Phone”, a general, personal-use telephonic terminal—in other words, a mobile phone.
Connection gears also sport high-level communication features, but since they are prohibitively expensive, the UNP is in much more widespread use.
Several hundred companies manufacture UNPs, but the VE series from Vector Industries is the most popular; the latest VE-U series features a motif starring the U.M.N. Mascot Bunnie and is a favorite of Shion’s.
Because connection gears use special military channels, UNP channels are more likely to get through during a military emergency. For this reason, most technicians with connection gears still tend to keep a UNP as a backup communication device.
U.M.N.
Stands for “Unus Mundus Network.”
This is the wide-area information network connecting the entire galaxy; it is used in spatial hops and faster-than-light communications, taking advantages of its distinctive non-locality; it uses the EPR paradox to establish connections without being bound by time or space.
The U.M.N. Was developed by Vector after Lost Jerusalem disappeared; its administration was then handed over to the Galaxy Federation. However, no records remain from its developmental period, so there is no way to verify any of the details.
Lately, a large number of Gnosis encounters have been reported on the U.M.N. and within the Encephalon. The mastermind behind Gnosis terrorism, Grimoire Verum, has also used the U.M.N. For various events, leading some to speculate about a connection between the U.M.N. and the appearance of Gnosis.
“Unus Mundus” refers to C.G. Jung’s theory of collective unconscious; it can explain the inconsistencies of synchronicity and the EPR paradox from a physics standpoint, as well as the mutually complementary connection and relationship between two minds and between mind and matter.
In the story, it refers to a collective unconscious network where human consciousness are overlaid with an rendered alongside the network.
U.M.N. Transfer Column
One must use the U.M.N. To gate jump; U.M.N. Transfer columns are areas that serve as gate jump portals.
These columns exist as relay points in each designated area and connect pairs of transfer gates. Each column has its own range of influence, and it is not possible to gate jump outside a column’s effective range. {See Gate Jump.}
The toll, charged on a pay-as-you-go basis, varies according to the distance traveled through hyperspace and ship classification. An average ship like the Elsa would pay 24.6G pet unit of hyperspace traveled.
A special oversized ship, such as the Durandal, would pay about 3.85 times the toll of an average ship.
U.M.N. Pulse
Signals indicating transport routes to spaceships, constantly being transmitted by U.M.N. transfer columns.
When a gate jump is performed, one must receive either the destination pulse each column emits, or the route pulse each column receives.
Life Recycling Law
Introduced as a proposal in T.C. 4590, this bill was approved and implemented in ’91. Its aim was to recycle the bodies of the dead.
Those who had registered as donors while alive had their bodies transformed into cyborgs after their deaths, but they were used as mere tools, with no human rights. Furthermore, the notion of “recycling” was interpreted as extending the effective utilization of genes, and the bill was seen as including human clones and genetic and/or cranial nerve modification. This brought with it such benefits as broader living spaces and safety.
However, with an increase in the number of mentally-imbalanced individuals, people like Ziggy becoming Federation government equipment, and humanoid weapons like URTVs experiencing issues of societal standing, the Act was repealed in T.C. 4754.
Another reason for repealing the act was that, due to genetic modification, more and more people could adapt only to certain environments, and the human race was becoming biologically fragile.
The number-one reason the Life Recycling Act was repealed, though, was that the victims of genetic modification were fighting over planets with environments that could support them, resulting in a large number of casualties.
Realian
Realians are said to be the culmination of molecular bioengineering. Their body makeup ranges from carbon-based and very similar to that of humans to constructions based on silicon and even liquid metal. There is a type for every application.
Legally they were considered equipment, but they possessed intelligence and emotions—which had been suppressed for their role as servants.
Their basic human rights were acknowledged after the Miltian Conflict, however, and—apart from some Realians used for special work or in extreme conditions—their emotions were no longer deactivated. On the other hand, their manufacturers had fitted them with “emergency control codes” for merchandise control and crisis management purposes.
Many firms are manufacturing Realians, but their critical program—i.e., their central nervous system—is generally produced by Vector. It is a veritable black box, and all maintenance, procedures beyond everyday adjustments, and alterations can only be carried out at Vector’s Third Division.
There was a time when Miltia’s U-TIC Organization performed a great deal of research and development into specialized Realians. It was during this time that the 100-Series Observational Unit and battle Realians underwent improvement. It appears that various other Realian research took place as well, but most of the associated data was lost during the Miltian Conflict, and no further information is available today.